Robben Island, a place of somber history, now cradles a desperate hope: saving the Cape Cormorant. These seabirds face extinction as their food, sardines and anchovies, vanish from warming surface waters. Dedicated rescuers transport tiny, chirping chicks from the island to a mainland ‘orphanage.’ Here, human ‘bird mums’ tirelessly handfeed and waterproof the young birds, preparing them for a return to an ocean that’s growing emptier. It’s a heroic, costly fight against climate change, where every saved chick is a tiny victory against a silent, looming crisis.
